Why the brick?

Most people come into duathlons and triathlons from a single sport discipline. They are either swimmers, cyclists or runners. There are very few pure triathletes. Duathlons and triathlons generally favour runners. The way these two events are set up, give runners the edge over swimmers and the cyclists. A good example is to look at ITU triathlons and Ironman events, where the the event is typically won on the run.

Running after two disciplines is tough. People getting off the bike often speak of a sensation known as "jelly legs" where you legs wobble as you descend off the bike and you feel your knees buckle under the weight of your body. The effect of "jelly legs" often prevents you from running well after the bike because your legs and hips are tight from maintaining a single position on the saddle during the bike. The way to counter this effect post-bike is to do what is know as the "brick workout".

A brick workout is simply a bike-run workout. I have had people ask me how long should a brick workout be? Typically, research shows that you need not spend too long running after coming off the bike for your body to adapt to the effects of the "jelly legs".

I do a lot of my brick workouts on a bike trainer as I feel the bike trainer allows me to focus on my cycling form and cadence which are very important. I am not a pure cyclists so I tend to embrace the multisport theory of slow twitch muscles on the bike (slower cadence, 90 rpm and big chain ring) and fast twitch muscles on the run. That way, I don't overexhaust one group of muscles. I understand that if you come from a pure cycling background, you will generally favour high cadence on the bike but do try the above system and see how it works for you.

Below I will share some sample workouts that I do personally when I am training a brick as well as some tips for beginners to ensure you perform well in your next event.

Sample brick trainer workouts (cycling in big chain ring):
20 minutes warm up spin
10 minutes cycling
5 minutes running
10 minutes cycling
5 minutes running
10 minutes cycling
5 minutes running
10 minutes cycling
5 minutes running
10 minutes cycling
5 minutes running
10 minutes cool down spin

The above brick workout teaches the body to shift quickly between two disciplines. If you are a beginner, start with 2 sets in small chain ring and try to work your way up to 5 sets in small chain ring. You can advance to big chain ring only after you have mastered 5 sets in small chain ring. DO NOT forget the warm up and cool down.

Sample brick workout (cycling in big chain ring):
30km bike ride
10-15 minutes run off the bike

Tips for beginners:

1. Do a nutrition and hydration "dress rehearsal" during your brick training.
This means, try to eat and drink whatever it is you intend to consume for the event during your brick training. It is a very good simulation for your body to adapt to that. NEVER consume things you have never tried before on event day. The results could be disastrous.

2. Train as close to race time as you can.
Try to train your bike and run as close to your actual race start time as possible. If you know your run will take place during a very hot period of say 10am, then try to do some simulation runs at a similar hour. Heat greatly affect our performance so you need to train your body to adapt to that.

3. Train in your race gear.
If you plan to buy a new trisuit or shoes for the event, then make sure you take them out on a few trial runs before wearing it for the event. Wearing new things for races can results in painful blisters or chafing.

For more in-depth information on brick workout, visit this link. All the best for your next event!